Natsu
by MuSiC HaTs
Summary: You know I love you right?" "Mm-hmm...I love you too, Shika". The psychic and the Shadow...two parts of a whole...together until the end. It was just another summer...


_**

* * *

**_

T'sup, people!! I have come with the Natsu!! I hope you guys like it, as always.

**_Just a heads up: the ending might not end the way you think it does. :)_**

**_Disclaimer: I, under no circumstance, in any way, shap, or form, do not own Naruto. Like, at all. I'm just borrowing them for a little bit._**

_

* * *

_

_" But Daddy, I have to go!!"_

_Inochi Yamanaka stared down at his eight-year-old daughter, who was trying valiantly to squirm out of his arms. "Ino, you're too young to go out by yourself…you have to stay home" Ino crossed her arms and pouted, giving her father a pitiful look, "I will not get lost! I know where I have to go!" Placing her small hands on either side of her father's face, she looked deep into his eyes, "I have to go, daddy. The cards said so; I'll be meeting someone important today"_

_Inochi sighed, he couldn't argue when she brought up a prediction, because her predictions were always right, "Fine…you have forty minutes to find whoever you're looking for. Any longer, and I'll come get you, got it?" Ino beamed up at him, and pecked him on the cheek as he placed her back on the ground, "thank you, daddy! I'll be back soon!" Inochi stared after his daughter, as she pushed the curtain aside, and ran out into the throng of people, and heaved a deep sigh. Her ability was getting stronger and stronger every day…soon, she'll probably be as good as her mother, maybe better._

_Ino quickly weaved through the moving mass of people, her eyes eager, as she sprinted over to the park. Elders clicked their tongues as she ran past, chiding her for being out on her own, and to go find her father. She ignored them, and continued on, running past the playground, and heading, toward the large group of trees. Lacing her hands behind her back, Ino skipped over to the largest tree, her smile growing as she entered the shade. Ino rocked on her heels, and looked around, waiting for something, anything…_

_"What are you doing here? This is my tree."_

_Ino blinked, surprised, as a boy appeared from the shadows. His brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail, giving his head a pineapple shape. He was wearing a plain green t-shirt, and brown cargo shorts. His arms were crossed across his skinny chest, and he was giving Ino the stink eye. Ino stared at him for a minute, before giving him a smile so bright it rivaled the sun in the sky. The boy jumped, taken aback, as she jerked out a hand._

_"Hi!" she said happily, waiting for a handshake, "I'm Ino Yamanaka!! What's your name?" His brown eyes looked over her, before slowly placing his hand in hers, "My name's…Shikamaru. Shikamaru Nara." Ino swung their joined hands gently, "well, Shika, would you like to be my new friend?"_

-***Natsu*-**

July 24th

"Ahh…The Sun…ohh, _and_ The Wheel of Fortune. You will get a special gain that will give you a great amount of joy…but I don't think I need the cards to see that" Blue eyes raked over the woman's swollen belly, and then looked at her face, that was flushed with pride. Slim hands flipped over the next card, "The Tower…a few events will occur…they'll be a bit unexpected, and might cause a sudden change in your life…other than that, I see a happy future for you, Miss Kurenai" Crimson eyes stared at her in contentment, as a pair of pale hands grasped her own. "Thank you, Ino," Kurenai said, "for the reading. I'm sure that there would be no problems in the future, but I wanted to be sure…"

Ino beamed at her, "I'll always have time for you, Kurenai. Give Asuma my love, okay?" Kurenai smiled at her one last time, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear, before pushing back the curtain and disappearing into the crowd. Ino sighed with satisfaction, and reshuffled her tarot cards into a neat stack. Another reading successful, as always…and just in time for her to step out for a little while. Stepping out of her chair, Ino slipped off her robe and stretched, rearranging her dark red kimono dress, and tugging down her black shorts underneath.

"Hey, dad," she called over her shoulder, pulling on her sandals, "I'm going out for a little bit, okay? I'll be back soon!!" Without waiting for a response, Ino pushed the curtain aside, and melted into the crowd. Weaving through the people, Ino greeted everyone she saw with a small smile or a quick wave. Everyone knew who she was; Ino Yamanaka, the psychic, able to make accurate predictions that will come true. With a spring in her step, she headed over to the park, striding right past the playground, and heading right over to the thick cluster of trees.

Moving to the largest one, Ino moved into the shade, and sat against its thick trunk, closing her eyes. After a few minutes of waiting, she felt a shift in the air, and opened her eyes, smiling when she stared into bored brown eyes. Grinning, Ino poked her sullen friend's cheek, "Hi, Shika! You brought lunch this time, right? Today's your day to bring it!" Smile still in place, Ino stared at her friend, Shikamaru, as he sighed and grumbled, placing a large bento on the ground. Shikamaru's been her friend for as long as she could remember, and he's the only close friend that she has, aside from Chouji.

Their friendship was extremely special to her, especially because of who he was: Shikamaru Nara, the heir to the Shadows. She enjoyed every day they had together, because, surprisingly, she never knew when he would leave her. Ino sighed, content, and bit into a rice ball. "Kurenai came over today for a reading" she announced, taking another bite of her food, "I swear, one of these days, she's going to pop!" She sent Shikamaru a sidelong glance, "have you seen Asuma lately? How is he?" He sighed, lacing his hands behind his head, "he's fine…a little nervous, of course…but he'll live"

She nodded, "well, that's to be expected…" licking the leftover rice on her fingers, Ino flopped on her back, staring at the sun as it cut through the trees. "What about you?" she finally asked, "How are things going at home?" Shikamaru shrugged, "eh…everything's fine"

"You're such a liar"

She turned onto her side to look at him, "look at me" she commanded softly. When he reluctantly did so, she spoke, "you're lying," she repeated, "I check your fortune every day. I am a psychic; you don't lie to me" He sighed and rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath.

Ino smiled, and reached out, grabbing his hand, "it'll be fine, "she reassured him gently, "everything will happen the way it's supposed to, so stop your worrying!" Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, "how do you know?" he accused, "how do you know that things will go the way I want it to??" She gave him a tired smile, drifting off into a light doze, "silly," she chuckled, "sometimes…things never go the way we want them to. It's just…the way it is…" He stared at Ino's relaxed face, spots of sunlight hitting her face and hair, and felt a stab of remorse. Sighing, he scooted over to her, and placed an arm over her shoulders, using his other arm to pillow his head.

Closing his eyes, he pressed his cheek atop the crown of her head, breathing in the smell of sunflowers and incense, burning her scent into his memory. "Ino?" he whispered, wondering if she could even hear him now, "Ino, can I…can I keep you? Will you still be here, even after all that's going to happen?"

_*_

Ino was very uneasy.

It's been a few days since her last meeting with Shikamaru, and she hasn't heard from him since then. No letters, so small visits to her home…nothing. She was beginning to go through withdrawal; she missed her best friend. He was always in her life somehow, and with him not in it, the world seemed…dark, like there was a little less joy. Biting her lip, Ino pulled out two of her tarot cards, placing them facedown. Closing her eyes, she took a deep, calming breath, before flipping the cards over.

What she saw made her blood run cold.

It was The Lovers and The Hermit. The Hermit was upright, but Ino was unable to stare, her eyes glued to the reversed card of The Lovers.

The message she got felt like a punch to the gut, and she clapped a hand to her mouth, tears springing to her eyes. _'Separation…frustration…Inner strength… I'm loosing someone? Someone will separate from me?' _When she came to that conclusion, a pair of brown eyes flashed in her mind's eye, filled with frustration and sadness. No…not him-not her best friend! Not-not…it was too much. Ino coughed out a sob, tears beginning to spill over. Furiously wiping away tears, she shot out of her chair, snatching her robe away from her shoulders.

Slipping on her shoes, she ran out of her home without a second glance, and vanished into the crowd. Tears were starting to fall again, hot and fast, as she thought of a life without Shikamaru. It was impossible, improbable; she had to have him in her life, she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing him again. Shoving her hair away from her face, she entered into the first place she saw, which was an ice cream shop, and sat on one of the many benches, burying her head into her arms. She didn't know how long she sat like that, trying to stop her useless tears, the cards she drew swirling behind her closed lids.

What drew her out of her despair was a soft hand on her bare arm, "hey," a voice spoke, "are you okay?" Ino jerked up, startled, and stared into concerned emerald eyes. She sat up, wiping away the tear tracks that were on her face, "I'm fine," she sniffed, "just…oh" She sighed, running a hand through her hair, watching the girl take a seat next to her. She was a small, pale thing, with pink hair framing her heart-shaped face, startlingly bright against her bright green eyes. She was wearing a silky green yukata-style dress, and white sandals. The girl smiled in understanding, holding out her hand, "it's okay. I'm Sakura, by the way" Ino smiled at her and shook her outstretched hand, "I'm Ino. Ino Yamanaka"

"Well, Ino, d'you want some ice cream? You can tell me what's wrong too, if you want…"

"Some ice cream would be great. Thanks."

They were quiet, as Ino ate a little of her vanilla ice cream, before she sighed, "I'm a…I own the…I'm a psychic." Sakura nodded, licking the chocolate clinging to her small spoon. "And…well, I had my usual reading for myself, and…and the results…they kinda scare me" She sniffed, "see, my best friend…he's…he's a…he's waaay out of my league. Yet, we've been best friends for years" Ino smiled softly, "I enjoyed every day we had together, because in my heart, I knew that this wouldn't last. But-but now that the day has come…"

Ino blinked back the tears threatening to overcome her, "Now that the day has come…I'm not ready. I don't want to loose my best friend. He-he's always been there; he's a huge part of my life. If he's gone…" She shook her head, not even wanting to think about it, and shoved a spoon of ice cream in her mouth, not wanting to talk anymore. Sakura was silent as she thought about it, scooping the remainder of ice cream in her bowl. "Well," she said slowly, "that's something. Ino…I don't think that he'll leave you" She placed her empty bowl of ice cream on the table, "sure, something huge is coming, and it might tear you two apart a little bit, but that doesn't mean he's going to leave you forever" Smiling, she placed a comforting hand atop Ino's, "if he is meant to permanently be a part of your life, then he will be."

"You don't have to rely so heavily on your readings, Ino. Be confident, you know that he's not going to go away." Ino stared at Sakura blankly, digesting her words, as Sakura quickly stood up. "I have to go now!" she said happily, "Sasuke's starting to freak out; apparently, I've been gone too long" Giggling, she gave Ino a quick hug, "It was nice meeting you, Ino. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet again someday." Sakura gave her a cheery wave, before slipping out into the crowd. Once she did, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and Sakura let out a shout of laughter, before she was pulled away.

Ino stared into her bowl, digesting Sakura's words.

_'…She's right. Just because it says that we'll be separated…doesn't mean that we're never going to see each other again.'_ A smile slowly spread across her face, and she happily ate the remainder of her ice cream.

_'It'll be okay. It'll be fine!! Shikamaru and I, we'll always be together! We'll be together until the end!'_

_*_

Two days later, Ino was sitting under their tree, waiting for Shikamaru.

She was ready now; it was time to meet one last time, and it was time to say goodbye.

For now.

Ino laced her fingers and waited, watching as the shadows began to tremble, and then grow into a huge dark mass. Then, in the blink of an eye, there stood Shikamaru, utterly relaxed, walking towards her. When he was just a foot away from her, he stopped, and they just stood, staring at each other. Finally, Ino smiled, "so…you gonna tell me what's going on…?" Shikamaru didn't break eye contact, shoving his hands in his pockets, and he said it:

"I'm getting married"

It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, but it still hurt.

Her smile faltered somewhat, but it still stayed, "I'm…happy for you. I really am! But…" She rocked on her heels, her expression somewhat sheepish, "But…ever since I was eight…ever since that day we met…I always thought…I always thought we would…" She shyly bit her thumb, looking at Shikamaru through her lashes, "I-"

"I thought that, too."

She froze, looking at him with wide eyes as he continued, "I wanted us to be together forever. I never wanted to loose you, never wanted you to go away"

He scowled, "when I found out about my marriage to the Subaku princess, I resented it. I despised it with my entire being. I wanted _you_. Why couldn't I have you instead of _her_…" He sighed, his expression frustrated, "it was a time that I wished I wasn't a royal, that I was a normal villager…so then we-"

"But we are together!"

Shikamaru's head shot up, and his shocked eyes bored into hers. Ino nodded furiously, "we're together; we've always been together! Even if it isn't I the way you wanted…" She stepped forward and grabbed his hand, "Shika, I love you. Of course I do! I've always loved you. You're like my soul mate, but in the friendship sense." She brushed her fingertips across his cheek, staring into the pair of eyes that she saw in her small vision.

"Don't be sad…" she whispered, "I won't go away, and I'll never go away. I'll always be here." Shikamaru closed his eyes and placed his forehead against hers, "it never would've worked, would it?" he wondered aloud. The smile she gave him was a sad one, "I'm just not the one for you. I'm just supposed to be your friend, I can't be anything else."

He nodded, his nose brushing lightly against hers, his smile sad, resigned. Ino stared at his sad expression, before leaning forward and pressing her lips softly against his. After a few seconds, she pulled away, and sighed, "that will be our first, last, and only…" she whispered, "you'll get me out of your system somehow, Shika. You're lazy, but I know you can do that" she poked him gently in the ribs.

He rolled his eyes, and tried one last time, "I love you, Ino"

"You do, but not like that, Shika. And I love you, too. You're my best soul friend mate!"

"…That doesn't make sense."

"So??"

_*_

Five years later

"Hi, Shika! How are you?"

"Well…I'm pretty good. What about you? Is it even safe for you to stand right now?"

Ino scoffed and rolled her eyes, rubbing her swollen belly, "psha! I'm totally fine!! But…if it makes you feel better…" Slowly, Ino sat down, leaning against the trunk of their tree, "happy now?"

"Very much, thanks"

"Well, what are you standing around for?? Get down here! Come sit with me!" He sighed, and plopped down next to her, sighing. Ino looked up at him and stroked the bags under his eyes, "baby keeping you up?" He nodded, "she cries all the time…it takes forever to figure out how to make her stop…"

"Well she's a baby, Shika! It always takes a while to figure out what she wants!" She shook her head, "anyway…how's Temari doing? How's she holding out?" Shikamaru's eyes softened, "taking it like a warrior. She hasn't had a single breakdown" Ino stared at the tenderness in his expression and smiled, "see?" she said softly, "I told you. I wasn't the one for you." He knocked her on the forehead, "of course you were right" he murmured, "the psychic's always right." Ino thoughtfully wound a strand of hair around her finger, "well…I'm not always right, really…"

Ino fell silent and exhaled sharply, placing a hand on her stomach. Shikamaru sat up, alarmed, "what, what's wrong?! Is-is it-?!" Ino waved him away, "no, no…he's just kicking, that's all…here, feel it!" Her small hand latched onto his wrist, and dragged his hand onto her stomach, over the spot where she was getting kicked. Shikamaru stared at his hand with a small bit of wonder, before a lazy smile spread across his face, "I never get tired of that," he said softly, laying his head on to her shoulder, "neither do I…" They were silent for a few more seconds, before Shikamaru spoke, "he's taking care of you, right?"

"Of course!"

"I don't have to kick anyone's ass, do I?"

"No, Shika, everything's fine!! I'm treated to the point of being spoiled, I swear!"

More silence, the only sound the wind brushing through the trees.

"Hey, Ino?"

"Hmm…?"

"I love you, you know that right?"

"Mm-hmm…I love you too, Shika"

It fell back into their peaceful silence as they sat, eyes closed, content smiles on their faces.

It was just another summer for them.

* * *

**_Ta-daaaa!! There we go!! See, see, wasn't what you expected, huh?? (I told you, Sara. :P)_**

**_I hoped you guys liked it, as always. I'm excited; we've almost come full circle!! After Aki, I'm done!! All four oneshots, completed!! JOY!! :D_**

**_Please, please, please review!! They make me happy, plz. _**

_MuSiC HaTs_


End file.
